Lancaster, California Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)

Last updated: June 4, 2026 Source: College Scorecard

TL;DR

EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Lancaster, California shows: median public in-state tuition $1,124 (-79.6% vs national median) median graduate debt $12,500 (-6.9% vs U.S.) 14,806 students enrolled statewide.

Key Facts

  • Institutions in this profile: 5 campuses
  • Total college enrollment: 14,806 students
  • Median public in-state tuition: $1,124 (-79.6% vs U.S.)
  • Median net price: $26,717 (+168.1% vs U.S.)
  • Median student debt at graduation: $12,500 (-6.9% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $11,750
  • Average completion rate (institutions in state): 34.4%

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Overview

EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Lancaster, California—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against California and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.

Lancaster vs California & national benchmarks

Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.

State versus regional and national education metrics
Geography In-state tuition Net price Median debt Completion rate Enrollment
Lancaster, California$1,124$26,717$12,50034.4%14,806
California (state median)$1,350$8,343$11,40058.5%2,158,168
United States$5,512$9,967$13,43250.3%14,484,370

Earnings & employment outcomes: Lancaster, California vs benchmarks

Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.

Earnings and employment outcome benchmarks
Geography Median earnings (10 yr) Working & not enrolled (8 yr) Retention (FT yr 1) 2-yr default 3-yr default 3-yr repayment progress Debt ÷ earnings
Lancaster, CaliforniaN/AN/AN/A——N/AN/A
California (state median)$65,98690.1%84.0%3.9%—74.5%0.28
United States$54,32387.9%76.3%5.0%—73.7%0.41

Other cities in California (3+ campuses)

Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.

Peer comparison table
City In-state tuition Net price Median debt Completion Enrollment Earnings (10 yr) Working (8 yr)
Lancaster, California$1,124$26,717$12,50034.4%14,806N/AN/A
Los Angeles$19,040$21,911$17,43671.4%121,181$74,16587.7%
San Diego$12,442$24,300$15,00061.9%115,966$64,90987.8%
Sacramento$1,288$20,520$10,60050.8%94,048$64,87691.3%
Long Beach$4,453$14,158$11,81268.9%60,761$64,40391.1%
Fullerton$5,420$6,555$13,75070.2%56,299$56,32489.2%
Fresno$7,350$20,190$10,67453.5%54,532$60,07091.2%
Riverside$15,606$21,765$11,88460.8%53,903$61,82490.9%
Pasadena$31,530$25,065$13,19437.4%49,021$62,22284.6%
United States$5,512$9,967$13,43250.3%14,484,370$54,32387.9%

In-state tuition: Lancaster, California vs benchmarks

Sticker price

Lancaster, California median in-state tuition is $1,124, -79.6% vs the U.S. median.

Student debt: Lancaster, California vs benchmarks

Borrowing

Median debt at graduation in Lancaster, California is $12,500 (-6.9% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $11,750.

Analysis & insights

EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.

Costs & borrowing

Lancaster, California median public in-state tuition is $1,124, about -79.6% vs the national median. Versus the Far West region, tuition is -65.8%.

Median graduate debt is $12,500 (-6.9% below the U.S. median of $13,432). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.

Completion & workforce context

Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Lancaster, California is 34.4% (national institution average about 50.3%).

FAQ

How many colleges are in Lancaster?

EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 5 campuses in Lancaster, California with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.

How much does college cost in Lancaster?

EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Lancaster is $1,124 and median net price is $26,717. For California overall, medians are $1,350 and $8,343; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.

What do graduates earn in Lancaster?

EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Lancaster is N/A vs $65,986 for California and $54,323 nationally.

What is student debt like for Lancaster colleges?

EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Lancaster is $12,500 vs $11,400 for California and $13,432 nationally.

Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Lancaster?

EDsmart Data analysis: among 5 campuses in Lancaster, California, 5 campuses with at least 25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard demographics—a common Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) eligibility proxy; examples include Antelope Valley Community College District, Lancaster Beauty School, and Career Care Institute.

Sources & related